à très bientôt
The English phrase "see you very soon" is translated into French as à très bientôt.
à très bientôt is a parting expression used when you have a definite or highly expected plan to see someone again in a short amount of time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of à (to/at), très (very) and bientôt (soon).
Which one should you use?
While à bientôt means "see you soon", à très bientôt is a stronger, more immediate version that emphasizes the meeting will happen in a very short amount of time.
When do people say it?
If you are anticipating a very quick reunion, such as seeing someone again in just a few moments, you can use the casual and friendly expression À tout de suite!, which means "See you in a moment!"
Did you know?
- The word très is a distant relative of the English prefix 'trans-'. Both originate from a root meaning 'through' or 'across', though in French it evolved to mean 'very'.
- Saying à très bientôt when no reunion is actually planned is a common social grace in France. It functions as a polite fiction, much like the English phrase 'we should do lunch'.
- In French, the word bientôt is a compound of bien and tôt. While bien usually means 'well', in this specific pairing it acts as an intensifier to mean 'very'.
Examples in context
- Au revoir, à très bientôt !Goodbye, see you very soon!This sentence shows how to use à très bientôt as a parting phrase alongside a goodbye.Tatoeba #1531838 by martin9, translation #1532023 by LittleBoy
- Merci pour l'invitation, à très bientôt !Thanks for the invitation, see you very soon!
- Je pars maintenant, à très bientôt !I am leaving now, see you very soon!
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are finishing a quick coffee catch-up.
- NathanC'était super de te voir, Emma.It was great to see you, Emma.
- EmmaMoi aussi, Nathan. À très bientôt !Me too, Nathan. See you very soon!
- NathanOui, à très bientôt !Yes, see you very soon!
- EmmaSalut !Bye!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bientôt, très, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
